


Twilight of the Goddess

by Alexis_Rockford



Series: Fictober 2018: 31 Fandoms in 31 Days [26]
Category: Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: AO3 FACEBOOK CHALLENGE, AO3 FB Challenge, AO3 Writers Facebook Group, AO3 Writers Facebook Group Monthly Challenge, Fang & Vanille Are Basically Sisters, Fear, Fictober, Gen, Goddesses, Pre-Canon, Sacrifice, Sisters, True Love, l'Cie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 22:39:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16417370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexis_Rockford/pseuds/Alexis_Rockford
Summary: When Vanille has second thoughts about becoming Ragnarok, Fang decides she must do it alone...for her sister's sake.This ficlet was written in response to the Fictober prompt for October 26, 2018: Something big





	Twilight of the Goddess

“Fang, I’m scared,” Vanille whispered.

She needn’t have said anything. Fang could tell exactly how her sister was feeling from her wide green eyes and the way she trembled as they approached the fal’Cie. “No need to be scared,” she reassured her. “We’re both in this together."

Fang closed her eyes, reaching deep down inside herself. She shuddered briefly as she detected the dormant beast sleeping within. Ragnarok. A power so big, so terrible that it could destroy an entire world. She’d never admit it to anyone, least of all Vanille, but the thought that so much rage and destruction slumbered just beneath her skin terrified her as well. “Are you ready?”

Vanille’s bright gaze desperately sought her own. “I-I can’t,” she whimpered, cowering against the far wall.

Fang exhaled a long slow breath. Vanille wouldn’t be able to summon the creature if she was paralyzed by her fear. She was either going to have to calm down or…

Fang walked over to her sister and pulled her into a firm embrace. “It’s going to be alright,” she said, infusing determination into every syllable. “You don’t have to worry anymore. This time, let me protect you the way I wanted to do when we became l’Cie.”

Tears shimmered in Vanille’s emerald eyes. “Fang,” she choked brokenly. “I can’t let you do this. We promised that we’d always be together.”

“And we will,” Fang insisted, holding her at arm’s length. “Once our focus is fulfilled, we will both turn to crystal and await the new world side by side.”

The two girls suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure. Apparently, the fal’Cie was displeased at their hesitation.

“Oh, pipe down, you great bully!” Fang raged at the godlike being who seemed to glare at them in silent disapproval despite the fact that it lacked an actual face. “I’ve defied you before, and I’m not afraid to do it again.”

Anima lowered the metal blades that served as its arms in defeat. An oppressive silence filled the chamber as l’Cie and fal’Cie regarded each other with disgust and distrust. With a final pat on Vanille’s shoulder, Fang turned to her mechanical master with a look of pure disdain on her face. She raised her spear threateningly above her head before crouching and laying it down on the floor. Arching her back, she tapped into the simmering wrath that bubbled just underneath her calm exterior.

Stabs of pain shot through her as she writhed on the floor. She heard Vanille’s scream as her rational mind slipped off the precipice into total darkness. Suddenly, all she could feel, all she could be, was white hot fury. The desire to destroy overwhelmed her and she tore out of the room toward the unsuspecting planet above.

She sharpened her claws against the stony ground as she fled faster than light across the surface of Gran Pulse. With a tremendous leap, she flew through the air like a mighty Amphisbaena might across the wide expanse of the Archelyte Steppe. Up, up she streaked like a bolt of lightning until she struck home on the surface of Cocoon. Screaming with despair, she slashed at its outer shell with every ounce of force she could muster.

Suddenly, a pang sharper than any she had experienced before flared through her brand. Startled, she released her hold on Cocoon and began to fall plummeting back toward her home planet below. Her anger had begun to dissipate, leaving a crack in her resolve just large enough to let fear and panic seep into her heart.

Her descent accelerated until she could begin to make out details of the landscape below. She was headed straight back to the Pulse vestige at an alarming rate of speed. She prayed to whatever benevolent god that might be listening that she would blackout prior to making violent contact with the ground below.

Gradually, an odd peace began to fill her from within. Her velocity slowed and she seemed to hover over the village she had always called home. Oerba looked so tranquil from up here, the windows of the myriad residences winking sleepily at her in the dark.

As she landed gently just outside the Pulse Vestige, Fang was suddenly overwhelmed by exhaustion. She stumbled back into the temple where she had left her sister mere moments before. Or had it been hours ago? She couldn’t remember clearly. The only thing she could seem to think about was rest.

The urge to sleep overpowered her as she entered the throne room. Anima loomed above all, as majestic and unforgiving as ever, but Fang only had eyes for the girl with the strawberry blonde hair who was gazing at her in awe and disbelief.

“Vanille,” she panted as she fell into her sister’s open arms.

Vanille held her for a moment, stroking her dark hair from her face. “You look terrible,” she chirped as she stifled a yawn.

“Guess I need some beauty rest,” she agreed, pulling back gently. Her feet were as heavy as lead, and she could barely lift her arms at all. Perhaps if she just closed her eyes for a few minutes, everything would be fine.

 _Sleep_ , said a comforting voice inside her head. She should be horrified by the fact that her limbs were gradually hardening and becoming transparent, but all she felt was relief that her ordeal was over for now. She didn’t know who or what had spared them, but she whispered a silent thanks to their unseen saviour.

The last thing she saw before she succumbed to unconsciousness was Vanille’s cheerful smile as she, too, slowly transformed into crystal. _See you in the morning, sis,_ she thought as the world turned to white around them, enveloping them in a blanket of hope and love.


End file.
